Despite deals this offseason, Detroit Tigers' payroll projected to go up in 2014

5:32 PM,
Feb. 1, 2014

Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander

Written by

Detroit Free Press Staff

The Tigers fielded a team last season with the fifth-highest payroll - $148.7 million - according to Baseball Prospectus. Their payroll figures to be at least $12 million higher this season, despite trading Prince Fielder and Doug Fister.

And that doesn't include the $30 million that the Tigers promised to Texas in the Fielder-for-Kinsler trade.

Unless the Tigers make a major move, the final piece of their payroll puzzle fell in place Friday when catcher Alex Avila agreed to a reported $4.15-million contract that avoided an arbitration hearing. ...